Dairy-Free Kale and Broccoli Caesar Salad with Turmeric Quinoa Patties

This recipe is a combination of different foods I like: kale salads, dairy-free creamy dressings, and crispy quinoa patties. It's easy to use these foods, change the flavorings, and create a whole new meal! This meal is vegan because I like to eat lots of plants foods. But your meal can be a little different from this one if you'd like. Add in a hard boiled egg or avocado, as I sometimes do.

Making quinoa patties without eggs does require some alterations from the typical recipes. Flaxseed "eggs" (ground flaxseed + water) works well as a binder, but they can still fall apart. That is why I bake the quinoa patties before searing. Baking first helps them hold together and makes them easier to flip in the pan!

The dressing is similar to the cashew Caesar in one of my new favorite vegetarian cookbooks, The First Mess. I changed it up a little because I like lots and lots of lemon! And adding ground cashews gives it the texture you get from adding grated parmesan to Caesar dressing. Don't skip the nutritional yeast. If you haven't used it before then you are in for a pleasant surprise. It's quite delicious with a savory, nutty, umami flavor. It is perfect in most dairy-free/cheese-free sauce and dishes. You can find it at Whole Foods, Wegman's, Mom's, Trader Joes, and probably some other stores too.

This recipe has three components: quinoa patties, salad, and dressing. The recipe looks long, but its all easy to do! The steps are written so that you can efficiently make this meal in 30 minutes or less. Hope you enjoy!

Kale and Broccoli Caesar Salad with Turmeric Quinoa Patties

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan

Recipe by Emily Frizell, R.D

(Serves 4)

Quinoa Patties

¾         cup                  dry quinoa

1          cup                  water or broth

4          TBSP.              ground flaxseed

6          TBSP.              hot water

½        tsp.                  dried thyme

½        tsp.                  salt

1/8     tsp.                  mustard powder

½        tsp.                  turmeric powder

¼         tsp.                  ginger powder

3 ½     TBSP.              arrowroot starch (sub cornstarch or GF flour if needed)

Salad

8          ---                    kale leaves, thinly sliced

1          TBSP.              lemon juice

2          cups                broccoli florets

½        cup                  sliced almonds (or other chopped nut)

Dressing

3          TBSP.              cashew butter

2          TBSP.              avocado oil

½        tsp.                  lemon zest

3          TBSP.              fresh lemon juice

1          TBSP.              water

3          ---                    garlic cloves, pushed through garlic press

2          tsp.                  Dijon mustard

1          tsp.                  capers + ½ tsp. liquid

1          TBSP.              nutritional yeast

¼         tsp.                  salt

¼         tsp.                  ground pepper

¼         cup                  roughly ground cashews (pulse in food processor or blender)

Preheat oven to 375˚F. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet and lightly oil. Set aside.

Combine quinoa and water (or broth) in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 12 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover, and let cool.

While quinoa is cooking, combine ground flaxseed and hot water in a medium bowl and let sit for 5 – 10 minutes. In a large bowl, toss kale with lemon juice and set aside.

Add cooked quinoa and remaining patty ingredients to the flaxseed mixture. Stir until combined. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes. While patties are in the freezer, finely chop broccoli and add to kale bowl.

Lightly oil your hands to prevent quinoa from sticking. Form quinoa into 8 patties (about 2 ½ - 3 inches diameter). Place on prepared baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes. While patties are cooking, combine all ingredients for the dressing. Pour desired amount over kale and toss.

Heat a little oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. When hot, carefully place cooked patties in the skillet and sear until golden brown, about 2 – 3 minutes each side. Serve warm over kale broccoli Caesar salad.

Light Cajun Chicken Pasta Dish

Cajun chicken pasta dishes seem to be popping up more and more on menus. I wasn't sure if I would like it, but I definitely wanted to try it.  I asked my husband if he wanted to share it with me, but he said he wasn't really interested in that type of dish. Well, next thing I know he is stealing bites from my plate! Needless to say, it was a hit for both of us.

However, my concerns were how much heavy cream they used with it, and how much sodium was in the dish. And, of course, not enough veggies! So to make my healthy version, I omitted the cream and used 2% milk. I also replaced some of the amount of cream with chicken broth and tomato puree. To increase the fiber, I just used more vegetables. I had red onions, mixed mini bell peppers, and some leftover roasted cauliflower. If I had to do it again, I would have added some zucchini, and maybe some spinach.

Be careful about which type of Cajun seasoning you use, especially if you are watching your blood pressure. Many spice blends contain a large amount of salt; some even have salt listed as the first ingredient. There are Cajun mixes that are sodium-free, such as Mrs. Dash or Penzeys Spices.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

makes 4 servings

What you'll need:

8          oz.                   pasta (ie penne, rigatoni)

1          TBSP.              canola oil

½        cup                  sliced red onion

3          cups                chopped mixed vegetables (ie bell peppers, cauliflower, zucchini)

2          ---                   garlic cloves, minced

2          ---                   chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

¾         cup                 crushed or strained tomatoes

½        cup                  low-sodium chicken broth

2/3      cup                  2% milk, cold

½        TBSP.             cornstarch

1-2      tsp.                  Cajun seasoning

1          tsp.                 dried parsley

½        tsp.                  paprika

2          TBSP.            shaved parmesan, for garnish

What to do:

1.                                Cook pasta in boiling water 2 minutes less than package directions.

2.                                Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When oil is hot, add onion and cook for 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Add chopped mixed vegetables and cook 3 more minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove vegetables from pan and set aside in a bowl.

3.                                Return skillet to medium-high heat.  Add chicken. Let chicken pieces sear and turn golden brown before stirring. Once all sides are browned, add tomatoes and chicken broth.

4.                                In a small bowl, mix together milk and cornstarch until cornstarch has dissolved.  Add mixture to skillet, stir, and let come to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Stir in cooked vegetables, Cajun seasoning, parsley, paprika, and par-cooked pasta. Let mixture simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve warm.

Light Shrimp Scampi

I rarely order shrimp scampi at a restaurant because it never seems to taste just right.  Its not garlicky enough, or it is too garlicky; it's too salty; or too greasy.  Sometimes I want to order it as a lighter meal, but it ends up being so heavy because there is so much butter.

Shrimp scampi is actually pretty easy to make, so why not make it at home the way I like it, and in a way that is healthier for me.  I like to use a lot of lemon juice, more than most recipes call for.  You can use less if you prefer.  I use one sauce for the shrimp scampi, and for the green bean side dish. It makes things easier, but the lemony garlic wine sauce just tastes great with both green beans and shrimp.

If you do not like shrimp, you can always use chicken breast instead.  Make sure to cut the chicken into large bite-sized pieces. Then saute the same way as directed for the shrimp, except add on 4 more minutes.

Light Shrimp Scampi

Recipe makes 4 servings

What you need:
- 8oz dry spaghetti
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 3 tbsp minced garlic (preferably fresh)
- 3 shallots, finely chopped
- 1 1/4 cup white wine
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
 - half of a 24oz bag of trimmed green beans
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp butter spread

What to do:
1.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  Reserve 1/4 cup cooking liquid before draining pasta.

2.  Heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat in a large, sided saute pan.  When oil is hot, add shallots.  Cook 2 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium-low heat.  Add garlic.  Cook 8 minutes, stir occasionally.  Be careful not to burn the garlic.  Add wine and lemon juice, simmer 3 minutes.  Add salt and pepper.  Pour or use a ladle to remove all but 1/4 cup mixture.  Set aside the rest of the mixture.

3.  Heat the 1/4 cup liquid mixture remaining in the saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add green beans.  Cover and cook 3 minutes.  Move green beans to an oven-safe container.  Set oven to Broil, and cook beans for 3 more minutes.

4.  While the green beans are in the oven, heat the large saute pan over medium-high heat.  When hot, add shrimp.  Let cook 1 1/2 - 2 minutes each side, until lightly browned.  When shrimp are cooked, add remaining wine mixture, reserved pasta cooking liquid, parsley, red pepper flakes, and butter.  Stir to combine.  Cook 2 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Healthy Vegetarian Fried Rice

This dish has quite a few colors in it: orange, red, light green, dark green.  Different colored vegetables contain different vitamins and minerals.  So this dish is packed with healthy essential vitamins and minerals.  Because of the the veggies, it also has a lot of fiber.  Combine that with the protein from the eggs, egg whites, and soy beans, to make a really filling (yes still low-calorie) meal!

If you don't love brown rice, try doing 50% white rice and 50% brown rice.  Using leftover rice work perfectly fine for this recipe.  Just make sure to add the water in Step 3, and cover with a lid for 2 minutes.

This dish is not spicy, just has a mild kick.  For more spice, add a little more chili-garlic sauce, or add in a teaspoon of hot sauce.

What you'll need:
- 1 tbsp peanut oil
- 1/3 cup chopped white onion
- 1/4 cup chopped carrot
- 1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1/2 a zucchini, cut into 1" long strips
- 2/3 cup edamame, shelled (soy beans)
- 1 tbsp chili-garlic sauce
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg whites
- 3 cups cooked brown rice
- 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp Mirin (sweetened sake)


What to do:
1.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion, carrot, and bell pepper.  Cook 6 minutes.  Add zucchini and cook 4 minutes.  Reduce heat to low.  Add edamame (soy beans) and chili-garlic sauce and cook 1 minutes.

2.  In a small skillet, scramble the 2 egg and 2 egg whites.  Add cooked egg to the cooked vegetables.

3.  Add cooked rice, mirin, and soy sauce to cooked vegetables and stir.  (If using leftover rice, add 2 tbsp water, then cover for 2 minutes.)  Turn up the heat to medium and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Baked Hoisin Pork with Asian Slaw

I made hoisin pork sandwiches many many years ago.  Ever since, I have wanted to try another kind of hoisin recipe.  Here, I used hoisin sauce on the pork and in the slaw.  I try not to use too much because it does contain a good amount of added sugar.  You can make your own hoisin sauce at home, but since I had never done that I did not want to wing it this night.

This recipe is pretty easy.  After you're done chopping, there isn't much more to do but wait.

What you'll need:
Pork:
- 2 pork tenderloin, fat trimmed
- 1 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
- 1/8 tsp ground pepper

Asian Slaw:
- 1/4 head cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 large carrot
- 1 package ramen noodles, raw, crushed
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 1/2 tsp garlic-chili sauce
- 2 1/2 tbsp hoisin sauce

What to do:
1.  Peel carrot.  Using the peeler, peel shavings off of as much of the carrot as possible.  Add to chopped cabbage and bell pepper.  Mix with ramen noodles, and the rest of the ingredients.  Stir to coat.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2.  Preheat oven to 350*F.  Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.  Place tenderloins on baking sheet.  Sprinkle with pepper. Top with 1/4 tbsp hoisin sauce on each.  Bake 15 minutes, then flip the tenderloins.  Coat tops with the remaining hoisin sauce.  Continue baking for 12 minutes, or until temperature reaches 160*F.  Let rest for 3-5 minutes after removing from the oven.  Recipe makes 2 servings.

Quick Spicy Spaghetti and Veggies

This was another throw-together meal from random left over veggies.  It's very easy to do!  Cut veggies into bite sized pieces, saute in olive oil.  Add in cooked pasta and spices, and DONE!

This meal is low calorie and very heart-healthy with a bit of olive oil and lots of fiber from the vegetables.

Quick Spicy Spaghetti and Veggies

What you'll need:
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp low-sodium vegetable broth
- 6 oz whole wheat pasta
- 1 big pinch cayenne
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped green onions
- 1/4 cup pine nuts (optional)
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese (optional)

What to do:
1.  Cook pasta according to directions.

2.  Heat oil in a skillet, saute onion, zucchini, and garlic for ~ 4 minutes.  Add broth to skillet to steam veggies.

3.  When pasta is cooked, add to veggies and saute for 1 minutes.  Add in cayenne.  Top with green onion. Add nuts and/or cheese if desired.  Recipe makes 2 servings.

For meat lovers, saute 1/4 cup chopped prosciutto with the veggies.

5 Ways with Rotisserie Chicken

Buying a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store can make meal preparation really easy.  You buy a whole cooked chicken, then take apart the pieces you want.  It is important to remember that some parts of the chicken are healthier than others.  The skin is going to be the least healthy part.  The skin itself contains a lot of saturated fat.  It is also where the butter and salt get laid on before the chicken is cooked.  So I always peel off the skin.  The dark meat is higher in fat than the white meat.  So when you are deciding which meat to use for which recipe, use the higher fat meat with a lower fat recipes.  

So here are some ideas on how to use the chicken meat:

Use  thigh meat for a Chicken Taco Salad

Make a salad of greens, strips of red and green bell peppers, onion.  Top with salsa, a small sprinkle of Mexican cheese, a spoonful of plain Greek yogurt, and plash of hot sauce.  Throw on the pulled chicken meat and you've got a super fast dinner.  If you don't like uncooked peppers and onions, saute them for about 5 minutes in a little canola oil and sprinkle with pepper and paprika.

Use breast meat for a Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwich

In a bowl, mix together 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion, 1 1/2 cups chopped romaine, 3 tbsp plain non-fat Greek yogurt, 3 tbsp Caesar dressing, 1 tbsp grated parmesan, pulled meat of one chicken breast, 1/4 tsp pepper.  Stir so that the dressing coats everything.  Toast a bun or roll, or use pita bread.  Recipe makes 2 sandwiches

Use thigh meat for a Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad

Make a salad of romaine and spinach.  Top with chopped green bell pepper, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced onion, a few walnuts, and chicken meat.  Make a dressing of 1 part Dijon mustard, 2 parts olive oil, 2 parts balsamic vinegar, plus a pinch of salt and pepper.

Use breast meat for a Greek Chicken Salad Sandwich

In a food processor, chop 1 smal cucumber and 2 peeled garlic cloves.  Then in a bowl, mix together shredded chicken, the chopped cucumber, 1/4 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt, 2 tbsp crumbled feta, 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion, 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice, and 1 tsp dried dill.  Toast a bun or roll, or use pita bread.  Recipe makes 2 sandwiches.

Use breast or tenderloin meat for a quick BBQ Chicken Pizza

Use a small spoonful of BBQ sauce to mix with the shredded chicken meat.  Spread a small amount of BBQ sauce over the inside of each half of a sandwich thin ( such as Arnold Breads), then top with thinly sliced red onion, a few thin slices of green bell pepper, and the chicken.  Sprinkle 1 tbsp of shredded mozzarella cheese on each sandwich half.  Set a toaster oven to 'Broil' on low, or a 'Pizza' setting and cook for 8 - 10 minutes.

Fish Taco Salad

Fish is an important ingredient to a healthy lifestyle.  Lean fish, such as sole, flounder, and halibut, are a great source of protein.  Fatty fish, such as tuna, salmon, and mackerel, are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.  Omega 3s have many beneficial effects including reducing the risk of heart disease.

Fish Taco Salad

What you'll need:
- 2 Sole (or flounder) filets
- Spice rub:

   -- 1/8 tsp paprika

   -- pinch of chili powder

   -- pinch of cayenne

   -- 1/8 tsp salt

   -- 1/8 tsp dried oregano

   -- 1/8 tsp cumin

   -- 1 tsp lime zest

- 1 tbsp canola oil

- 1 avocado, sliced

- 1/4 cup sliced white onion

- 3 1/2 cups romain lettuce, chopped

- 1/3 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)

For the dressing:

- 1/2 cup plain, fat-free Greek yogurt

- 2 tbsp lime juice

- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro

- 1 garlic clove, finely minced

- 1/8 tsp black pepper

- 1/8 tsp salt

What to do:

1.  Mix together all the ingredients of the spice rub.  Spread over both side of each fish fillet.  Let sit.

2.  Mix together the ingredients for the dressing.  Let sit in the refrigerator.

3.  Heat oil in a medium skillet.  When oil is hot, add fillets.  Cook 1 1/2 to 2 minutes each side.  Outside should be slightly crispy and lightly browned, but not flakey.

4.  Evenly divide lettuce, onion, and avocado into two separate serving bowls.  Top each with fish and cilantro dressing.

Nutrition Information:

294 calories, 31g protein, 10g carbs, 4g fiber, 11g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 419mg sodium

Fish. Super easy. Super healthy.

The argument that 'I just don't have time to make something healthy for dinner' will never cease to exist, unfortunately.  I will continue to try to prove to the world how lame that excuse is.  There are so many dishes that take minimal time and are nutritious and delicious.

When planning out a healthy meal, first plan for what needs to be on the plate.  There should be some sort of low-fat protein source like chicken, fish, or lean meat.  There should definitely be lots of veggies.  There should be a fruit.  You may or may not have a starch, but try to make it whole grain most of the time.  You may also have some dairy, but try to make it low-fat most of the time.  This general idea has formed the 'new food pyramid' which is now a picture of a plate.

This plate helps you form a healthy meal, but now you have to think about what is easy and takes little time to prepare.  Let's start with the protein foods.  Do you know how long it takes to steam shrimp?  It will depend on the size, but it is likely going to be less than 3 minutes.  If you buy them deveined and without the tail- then there is no prep time, only cooking time.  Really skinny fish might take about 5 minutes to be pan-fried on the stove.  Thick fish like salmon will take closer to 10 minutes.  Thin chicken (bought or prepared that way) will take around 8 - 10 minutes; thicker chicken around 12 - 15 minutes.  Depending on how you like your red meat cooked, it may take 8 - 12 minute for cuts like tenderloin; it will take longer for larger pieces like a flank steak.  What will take a long time to cook?  A whole chicken; large cuts of beef that are made for roasting;  tough cuts of beef that are made for stewing.  There is little prep work with protein foods unless you need to cut it up a certain way.

  

Veggie steamer

Ok let's move on to the veggies.  Salads generally have only prep time and no cooking time.  Depending on the salad ingredients, it may take a while to do all the chopping.  Still,  it is likely you will not spend 20+ minutes cutting up veggies.  Green beans or thin asparagus can be cooked in 10 minutes: 5 minutes steaming, 5 minutes sautéed in olive oil.  Zucchini and squash may take a little longer depending on how you cut them up and how you cook them.  Onions can take only 3 minutes if you are just trying to cook them until they are translucent.  But if you want caramelized onions,expect to spend a good 20 - 25 minutes stirring.  Most things you make in the oven, such as roasted cauliflower, is going to take longer than something cooked on the stove top.  Artichokes, no matter how you cook them, will take a while because there is quite a bit of prep work and very little edible portion inside the artichoke.

Now let's talk about fruit.  There are quite a few bite-sized fruits that you can just set on the table and pick at throughout the meal: berries, grapes, cherries.  This means that washing in the only preparation step.  There are some fruits you can eat whole, but would most likely cut up for the dinner table: apple, pear, peach slices. So you would need to spend time washing and cutting. Then there are foods that you cannot eat the outside: pineapple, cantaloupe, watermelon, mango.  Some of these you may just cut up and serve with the rind still on it; others you may need to separate the fruit from the outside layer.  In the case of mangos, you have to separate the fruit from the outside skin and the inside pit.  Mangos can take quite a bit of effort to prepare. No matter what fruit you use, you are likely to eat it raw, so there is no cooking time.

Grains are one food that may take a while to prepare and/or cook.  If you are making pasta, you have to wait a while for the water to boil (unless you have Justin and Julie's amazing stove), then wait for the pasta to cook.  Same deal with the rice.  If you are making potatoes- you may need to peel or cut, and you absolutely have to wait for them to cook.  This may take 20 - 25 minutes to cook new (small) potatoes on the skillet, or 30 - 45 minutes in the oven;  it would take longer for a larger potato to bake in the oven.  The time for corn depends on if you are boiling or grilling.  Peas... well I hate peas and we're all older than 5 so let's just move passed that food.  Winter squashes are going to take some time to cook because they have such a thick outside layer.

So here are some easy combinations:

-Heat up the skillet and heat a saucepan filled with a little water.  Start cooking a chicken breast; then chop some zucchini; steam zucchini for 5 minutes; cut apple and pear slices while food is cooking; flip chicken; saute zucchini in olive oil for 5 - 8 minutes. Total time: ~17 - 20 minutes

-Start heating water for rice; chop red and green bell peppers, then saute; heat a skillet; add rice to hot water; cook steak on skillet; chop pineapple (take off the skin).  Total time: ~25 - 28 minutes

-Heat water in saucepan with a veggie steamer inside; heat a skillet; add asparagus to saucepan; add fish to skillet; remove asparagus and saute in a skillet; flip fish; wash grapes. Total time: ~ 12 - 14 minutes

The last one is similar to a meal I made recently.  Earlier that day we had made and eaten a lot of fried food at school, so I wanted to make something healthy.  I was also tired from a long day, so I wanted to make something fast.  So here is what I made:

Pan-fried salmon with asparagus, and a side of chopped mango

What you'll need:

- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided

- 1 salmon filet

- 4 oz thin asparagus

- salt and pepper

- 1 lemon slice

What to do:

- Heat a small sauce pan fill with ~ 1/2 inch of water; place a veggie steamer inside.  When the water comes to a low boil, add in asparagus and cover.

- Heat a small saute pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil.  Sprinkle a pinch of salt a pepper on the top of the salmon.  When pan is hot, add salmon with the top facing down on the pan. After about 3 to 4 minutes, flip.  If the bottom of the salmon does not have the skin still attached, turn the heat down to medium-low.

- Take the asparagus and the steamer out of the pan, and empty all the water. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil, and add asparagus back in. Stir frequently.  Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper and stir some more.

- The salmon should be cooked about 4 to 5 minutes on the bottom side. Fish is done when it flakes easily when using a fork.  The asparagus should be tender, but still have a little bit of crunch.

-  After plating the food, squeeze a little bit of lemon juice over the salmon and asparagus.  Serve with any kind of fruit.

You may wonder how this will take since there is very little seasoning added to the food.  Salmon and asparagus are both very strongly flavored foods.  If you like the flavor of these foods, you don't need a seasoning to cover up those flavors.  If there was one seasoning I would add, it would be dill.  Dill goes very well with both.  However, Dubai does not have any dill in any grocery store I have been to. but I think this meal without the dill was perfect and delicious.